Atonement formally new beginnings
by love.devil.movies.baby
Summary: Very loosley based on Rambo. Lana is a new resident of Seattle. Jason is a lonely wanderer. When they meet one rainy night in a diner, sparks are ignited, and a new beginning for both of them occurs.
1. Chapter 1

Rain poured down in sheets, cascading off of the windshield and making it nearly impossible to see the road. The pale yellow streelights, unhelpful at the best of times, were now rendered completely useless by the onslaught of rain. The woman inside of the car sighed. Her chocolate colored hair frizzed out in nearly every direction imaginable. Wide brown eyes squinted, straining to see what was not even 10 yards ahead of her.

That was the problem with this town. When Lana had first decided to move to a suburb of Seattle, people had told her it rained constantly. "I like the rain," was her standard response as she brushed away the comments. It was true, she did like the rain. This, however, was not the rain. The heavens had simply sprung a leak and water constantly flowed. Everything was wet here. It was a great contrast to her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. It rained rarely there, and when it did, it evaporated before most people had even noticed the precipitation.

A slight panic set in as she realized that she might hydroplane at any moment. She quickly turned off of the road into a nearby diner, and decided to wait until the storm had died down. The old fashioned silver bell fastened to the door let out a tired melody as she stepped into the diner. Its furnishings and decoration were typical of a diner, flourescent lighting that reflected off of red and white linoleum tile. The seats were well worn and booth style, and there was a imitation marble counter with stools and a very old fashioned cash register. People were crowded into the booths and chatting pleasantly. Apparently, she was not the only one who felt that driving was hardly worth the effort at the moment. Since she was alone, she decided to sit at the counter.

As she made her way across the checkered floor, a lone figure caught her eye. He was completely isolated from the general buzz of the diner. He was looking around somewhat nervously, perhaps uncomfortable with eating alone when everyone else had company. After looking at this man for a moment, Lana recalled the feelings that surrounded her when she had first arrived here. The little town she now resided in did not take kindly to strangers until you had proven yourself decent. Pitying the stranger, she uncharacteristically decided to ask if she might join him for a cup of coffee.

Summoning up her courage, and her friendliest of smiles, she cautiously approached the table.

"Excuse me?"

The stranger glanced up at her. For the first time, Lana was able to see his eyes. She was startled by the intensity she found there. There were large and the deepest brown acheivable by nature. He looked up at her through thick, long lashes. He seemed to be judging her, but not in the way her neighbors had. Instead of judging her appearance to make conclusions about what type of a person he was, he seemed to be trying to read her mind. Apparently content with what he saw, he addressed her with a throaty. "hmph?"

"Er, I was wondering, since we are both alone, if I might sit with you for a while?"

It was the strangers turn to look surprised. He blinked slowly and nodded cautiously, as though he wasn't really sure what she was saying. She removed her shoulder bag and sat down across from him. he continued to stare at her curiously.

She extended her hand. "I'm Lana."

He shook her hand reluctantly, but continued to give her the same bewildered expression. Slightly 

irritated now, Lana asked, "and you are...?"

He shook his head as if clearing away something. "Sorry," he coughed out, "I'm Griggs."

Confused, Lana asked, "Is that your first name?"

He glanced around nervously. Lana, aware that she might be sitting with a psychopath, followed his gaze. Other occupants of the diner were shooting their booth judgmental glances. Wondering why, she turned her eyes back to the man. It became instantly clear. His appearance, which may have been brushed off in a larger city, was clearly the cause of most of this controversy. His hair was longish and unkept and hung all over his head in dark curls. His clothing said that he was a working man of some type, but the logo was too faded to read from where she was sitting, and she thought it would be rude to lean forward to look. His skin was nearly as dark as hers, even though she was African- American and he certainly was not. He might be Spanish or italian by the look of him. Either way, he clearly was not welcomed. His deep, gruff voice brought her crashing back into the present.

"Look, why are you over here anyway? You gonna give me some more shit? Cuz, believe me, I have all I can handle right now. I'm just gonna get some food, and I swear, I'll leave your little one horse town."

Well, Lana, thought, that explains a lot about his behavior.

" I wasn't going to give you any shit, I just figured you could use the company, but if you don't want it..." She stood up.

"No!" he said quickly. It startled some of the already on edge eavesdroppers. Lowering his voice into what she was coming to see was a customary monotone, he said, "People don't tend to want me around. Apparently I'm scruffy looking or something like that. They think I'm dangerous. If only they knew..."

He trailed off and Lana could see a great deal of hurt in his eyes. Overcome with a mothering sense of pity, she sat back down. After sifting through the limited menu for a moment, and confirming she didn't want a damn thing on the menu, he spoke again.

"Jason."

"What?"

"That's my first name. You asked remember?"

"Well, it's nice to meet you Jason Griggs. What brings you to this little hell hole?"

She realized the nosy bastards around her were sure to hear and her reputation was going to take a beating. Screw it, she thought. Why did she care what a bunch of country bumpkins in the middle of nowhere thought in the first place?

Jason chuckled at her blunt question. "Necessity I guess. I lost my job, and had nowhere else to go."

"No family or anything to go home to?"

"Nah, family is gone, and all my friends are buried. Price of being in the army I guess."  


Suddenly, the reason for those sad puppy eyes became clear. Lana's heart went out to the guy.

"So you have nowhere to stay?"

"Nah, unless they let me sleep on the floor in here. But I figure I gotta a snow balls chance in hell of that." He shrugged, "it's probably uncomfortable anyway."

Before Lana's mind registered what she was doing, before she thought of the consequences, she heard her voice offering him the couch at her house.


	2. Chapter 2

After a greasy meal and unfriendly service from the waitress, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. She had piled Jason into her car, much to the horror of the other diners. He was silent for the first few minutes, deep in thought. He had been surprised to see her approaching him so boldly. Unlike the people who came over before, her smile was genuine, not some twisted bearing of the teeth pasted on in order to fake humility right before they chucked him out. She actually looked like she was happy to see him. He had noticed her the moment she had walked in. For one thing, she was the only other person in this town that wasn't pasty white. For another, her hair had those kinky curls that made you take a second look. If that wasn't enough she had legs that seemed to go on for miles. Most importantly, she looked like she too, did not fit in here. And as if it couldn't get any weirder, she had offered to let him stay with her and he had accepted. The last time a woman invited him in, he got more that a couch to crash on and sympathy. Times had changed though, and he would take what he could get. He caught her looking sideways at him. He returned her glance.

"So, when did you leave the army?"

"A while ago."

He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to relate the hell that was his life. He didn't want to discuss how hopeful he was when he returned and how all his hopes had been dashed. He didn't want her to know that no one cared, not the government, not the population, no one…except maybe her. She at least let him crash on the couch for a while. That was something.

Lana sensed that this topic was off limits. Hurriedly trying to change the subject, she began ranting about her house.

"You can sleep on the couch, I know you're tall, but it's long and pretty roomy. Plus the cushions are squishy…I think it's comfortable, but if it's not, I mean, you can always crash on the floor or something. The bathroom is near where the couch is so that's convenient…"

She continued like this for another minute or so until she was about a mile from her house. Realizing that she was about to let a stranger she knew nothing about, who obviously had some serious issues, sleep in her house, where she lived, alone, scared her.

Jason looked over at her as she talked on and on. She was obviously nervous. As she turned into what he assumed was her driveway, he reached over and touched her shoulder. Startled out of her monologue, she looked at him.

"Look, this is real nice of you, but I know you're nervous about letting a stranger in your house. I appreciate the ride, but you don't have to do this. I'll find somewhere else."

Lana looked at him for a moment, realizing he had just offered her a way out. Lightening crashed in the background and the rain began again. Realizing there was no way she could put him out now, she shook her head.

" It's no problem. Come on in. I'll get you set up."

"Are you sure?"

She smiled. "I'm positive."

Her smile was so reassuring, that against his better judgment, he followed her out of the car. He hauled his huge duffel bag over his shoulder. Lana's house, or what he could see of it in the rain, looked more like a small and quaint cottage. The windows had shutters, and the path leading to the door was lined with some sort of flower, and made of what looked like cobblestones.

It only took the pair the 30 seconds from the car to the threshold of the door to become soaking wet. Jason shook his shaggy head before they entered the house. The brown curls flopped over his eyes, creating a comical, puppy-like appearance. Lana bit back a smile as she turned the key and opened the door.

The house was eerily pitch black. She groped along the wall for a light switch, trying to disguise her nervousness. Jason located the switch with little problem. Lana, embarrassed and a little bit frightened by his knowledge of her home, looked at him curiously.

He shrugged, "Good eyesight."

Lana nodded and forced out a smile. She made her way over to the couch. She set about removing the cushions and pillows. Jason watched her silently.

"It's a pull out," she explained. She tried to yank the bed out of the couch, but only succeeded in breaking a nail. She muttered an obscenity as she pulled her hand back. Without a word, Jason strode forward and pulled the bed out with one hand while still holding the heavy duffel bag. As he leaned forward, his dog tags fell out of his jumper. Without thinking, Lana reached forward for them. As she touched the cool metal, his hand shot up and caught hers.

"Sorry," she stammered, "I just-"

He interrupted her, "No it's ok. Old habits die hard I guess."

Wondering what he could possible mean, she accepted the tags he had slid over his head and placed in her hand. His calloused hands contrasted with her soft fingers. She looked at them with interest. They were well worn and chipped in some places, but his name was still evident along with some sort of number. He studied her studying them for a moment. She went to hand them back, but instead leaned forward to hang them back around his neck. She was forced to stand on her toes to achieve this. She was tall for a woman, but he was undoubtedly taller. He was at least 6'3''. Startled at the intimate gesture, Jason looked at her. Her response was her trademark smile.

"So I'll go ahead and get you some stuff from upstairs. The bathroom is to your left. I'm just going to grab some pillows to make you more comfortable."

Unaccustomed to comfort, Jason couldn't have cared less either way, but he nodded and watched her run up the stairs. He wandered silently into the bathroom. Flipping on the light switch, he took in his surroundings. The bathroom was old fashioned, but comfortable. The fixtures were made out of brass, and the tub was old fashioned and had a curtain around it and a showerhead for showering. He crossed to the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. Wow, he looked like shit, almost as bad as he had looked during the war. He heard Lana's light footsteps and turned. She was holding a stack of fluffy towels with a pink razor and a toothbrush on the top.

"I figured you might want to shave and brush your teeth," she said, handing him the stack. There are sheets on the pull out and pillows too. Um, you can shower whenever. Do you have anything to sleep in?"

Jason took the stack appreciatively. "Um, I figured I would just, you know, sleep in some sweat pants or something."

"Alright, well you can use anything in here whenever you want to. The kitchen is open too, do you want a drink or anything?" He shook his head. "Well, I'll leave you to it then. Good night."

She backed out uncertainly. When she got to the door, she felt Jason's hand on her shoulder. He spun her around and nearly crushed her in a hug. It got her so off guard that it took her a moment to hug him back. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear. His feelings of loneliness washed over Lana and she 

squeezed him tighter. "No problem," she whispered back. "Good night, sweet dreams." Then, completely on an impuse, she kissed him on the cheek, turned and went up the stairs to her own bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Jason watched her walk out of the bathroom and up the stairs. He could still feel her kiss on his cheek. This had to be the strangest woman he had ever met. Normal people weren't as caring and open as her. They didn't invite people they didn't know to stay with them and they didn't show sympathy for anyone short of family. He hadn't meant to hug her, but someone like that earned it. He had no idea how else to convey how grateful he was at the moment. Turning back to the stack he had set down, he realized how tired he was. He decided that showering and shaving could wait for the morning. He turned off the light and made his way back to the living room. She had left the light on for him. It was unnecessary; his eyesight was so fine tuned that he could easily navigate his way in the dark. In fact, when he wandered from town to town he most often did it at night. It was easier that way. No one bothered him.

The bed had sheets and a comforter on it. He expertly made the pull out then bent down to his bag. Unzipping it, he pulled out a framed picture from the top. Looking at it for a moment, a familiar sense of longing and loneliness crept over him. He sat it down, and continued rummaging until he pulled out a pair of drab gray sweat pants. He pulled off his clothing and replaced it with the pants. Folding up his jumper and putting it neatly next to his bag, he sat down on the pull out and laid back. Annoyed, he realized he would have to still turn off the light. It wasn't the darkness that bothered him. He thrived in the pitch black. There was nothing to fear from the dark. In fact, he was normally the thing about the dark that people most feared. But at night, when he was lying alone, asleep where he couldn't control himself, the memories and horrors haunted him. Tonight would be another restless night, just as they all had for nearly a year and a half.

It took Lana a while to fall asleep. The thought that a man whom she knew very little about was sleeping downstairs kept her mind racing. The way he observed everything with a silent and intense concentration was almost illusive. His comments hinted at things that he was holding deep inside, but he didn't give anything away. Also, his hug had thrown her for a serious loop. He was so vulnerable; she couldn't help but to want to take care of him, especially since he had no one else. After turning these thoughts over in her mind, her body finally succumbed to a deep and restful sleep.

The next morning she awoke to the sound of the downstairs shower. In blind panic, she raced down the stairs and barreled around the corner. The bathroom door was unlocked and she nearly fell through it trying to get in. As she stumbled over the tile, her mind woke up along with her body and she remembered her guest. Unfortunately, there was no time to back out of the room before Jason noticed. He swung the shower curtain open, with the intention of defending himself. When he realized it was only Lana, an extremely uncomfortable moment was exchanged. Lana was very aware of the fact that if the curtain had swung open one more inch, she would be exposed to a lot more of Jason then she thought she would ever see. She was also aware of her own wardrobe, which consisted of boxers and a very tiny spaghetti strap. She forced herself to meet Jason's eyes. She gave an awkward little half smile, muttered an apology and ran from the bathroom, nearly hitting the doorframe on the way out. She went straight into the kitchen, breathing heavily. She found a clean glass and filled it with cold water. She needed to calm down. More importantly, she needed to get that image out of her mind. Jason's body, for lack of another word, was beautiful. Perfect pecs, perfect abs, perfect arms, and a waist that tapered down in a V shape. She drank the water at a frightening pace, and chocked when she heard a cough behind her. Coughing herself, she turned to see Jason, wearing only jeans, hair still damp. He addressed her.

"Um, did you want me to make breakfast? I'm a pretty good cook."

Lana, still trying to calm her nerves and look at his face and not his naked chest, could barely respond.

"Sure, I mean, only if you want to, I could do it. Sorry about that by the way, I forgot you were here and I thought…"

"It's no problem, sorry you had to see so much of me. That had to be uncomfortable. I'll shower at night from now on. I'm just going to go put on a shirt"

As he moved back into the living room, she exhaled deeply. Shaking the final image of him from her mind, she started pulling out pots and pans.


	4. Chapter 4

I know it's been a while, but here it goes...

Lana sat across the table from Jason. He was chewing silently and apparently devoid of emotion. When he said he could cook, he wasn't lying. He had whipped up a breakfast so quickly all Lana could do to help was hand him various ingredients and pans. It was delicious. His response to her compliment had been a nonchalant grunt. Clearly conversation wasn't his strong point.

She ate in equal silence. When she had nearly finished, she paused to watch her guest. Sensing her attention, he peered up at her through his dark hair. When she did not immediately break eye contact, he raised one eyebrow curiously.

Lana cleared her throat. "Um, so did you have any plans today?" When Jason stared back blankly, she continued. "Did you need to go anywhere, like job hunting, or apartment hunting..."Comprehension dawned on Jason's face.

"Um, well, not really, I figured this isn't really a town for me, so I was going to keep traveling."

"To where?"

"What's the next town to the West?"

"You mean, you have no definite plan?" Jason just shrugged.

"It's been a while sense I have had a plan."

"You can't just wander forever you know. Eventually you are going to have to stop."

"Got nowhere to stop. No family, no friends, no where in particular to go. Might as well keep on going."

Lana stared at him in shock. He was completely resigned to living a goal free life. She felt a wave of emotions, a sick feeling of pity mixed with an odd desire to smack some sense in him. He was just going to give up?

"You have to stop somewhere. You cannot do this your entire life. You deserve better. Who are other people to deny you the right to settle down? Who are you to deny yourself the right to be happy?"

Jason stared at her in shock. His face betrayed no emotion, but the gears in his head were racing. No one, not even his drill sergeant, had ever spoken to him with such brutal honesty.

Lana continued on. "You already know me, why not stop here. No town is going to be better. At least here someone cares about you. You can find a job, get a place. I'll help you. But running from your demons has got to stop."

Jason looked intently at her for a moment. His eyes searched her face before finally locking on hers. After an uncomfortable moment, he spoke.

"You care about me?"

Lana was taken aback. She had been almost cruelly honest with a man she hardly knew, and that was the only thing he took away from it. Wow, he was in worse shape then she thought. She took a deep breath, holding their eye contact.

"Yes I do. You can stay here until you are ready to leave but only on the condition that you try out life here. At least for 3 months. "

A small smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Are you giving me an ultimatum?"  


Squaring her shoulders, but also smirking, Lana replied. "Yes, yes I am."

Jason slowly extended his hand across the table. Lana did likewise.

"First things first," Lana's smirk grew into a smile. "You need a haircut."


	5. Chapter 5

Jason was nearly shaking as he watched Lana rummage through a pink box filled with what seemed like an endless supply of torture devices women called beauty supplies. Lana located what she needed and raised them triumphantly. The blades glittered in the light.

"Ah ha!" She smiled widely while snipping the air.

Jason shied away as she approached him. She tried, unsuccessfully, to grab a lock of his hair. Each time he evaded her grasp.

Sighing, Lana placed her hands on her hips. "You went through a war, but you are afraid to get your hair cut?"

Jason nodded, his eyes wary. He had survived torture, hunger, bombs and bullets, but those shiny pink scissors scared him shitless.

"Look," Lana rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to cut it all off. You just need a trim. You have man-bangs for God's sake!"

Jason considered this for a moment before nodding slowly in agreement. "You do know what you are doing right?"

"Honey, I am the best. I cut my own hair."

Sighing, Jason leaned back in the chair. "Alright, but-"

Before he could finish his sentence Lana was on him. The snip-snip of the blades could be heard as chocolate brown shavings floated to the floor.

Across town, a man named Charlie Bennet sat at his kitchen table with a mug of coffee. He was middle aged; his hair was graying in a salt and pepper pattern. His face was lined in an unpleasant way, one that suggested he frowned much more then he smiled. In fact, he frowned at the paper he was reading. His wife walked in holding two steaming plates of breakfast. Without glancing up at her, he accepted his plate and launched into a familiar tirade.

"Did you see the paper Liz? More hoodlums creating havoc in Seattle. Isn't a day where you don't read about some hood in the morning paper. And now they're coming here. Like that fellow at the diner last night. Indecent folk he was. Did you see the state of him?"

His wife, Liz, nodded but said, "Perhaps he was just a little down on his luck. That doesn't make him-"

"C'mon Liz," he interrupted, "Didn't you see him? You can just tell he was up to no good. And what was that new girl, what's her name?"

"Lana."

"Yeah, Lana, what was she doing sitting with him? She took him somewhere too! I knew that girl was trouble from the start. Her kind always are. Liberal journalists coming in..."

Charlie continued like this for several minutes. Occasionally Liz opened her mouth as if to object, but soon closed it timidly. Mornings were typically like this in her home. After gobbling down his breakfast Charlie put on his coat and headed for the door.

"Gotta go check in with the neighborhood watch. I'll see you in a few hours Liz."

Liz nodded and kissed him on the cheek. As the door swung shut behind him, she sighed and headed to the kitchen 

to do the dishes.

Back at Lana's house, Jason ran his fingers through his hair. It was cropped shorter, but still long enough  
for his tastes. The simple act of cutting three inches off his hair took five years off of his age. He already looked younger, and less shabby. This, combined with his freshly shave face, a t-shirt and jeans, and he looked quite handsome.

Lana stood back and admired her handiwork. From her position behind him, it was also easy to admire other parts of physique. He was startlingly good looking when he smiled. The sadness melted from his face and he looked so youthful, the way he was meant to look. He turned and smiled at Lana now, clearly satisfied with her efforts.

"Do you think I look acceptable now?"

Lana giggled. "You look fabulous!" she proclaimed, flipping her wrists. "'Let's show the town the new you!"

Jason's rare grin broadened into a full fledged chuckle. "Alright, Let's do it."


	6. Chapter 6

Seeing as I am actually in a creative role, I will continue my story and hopefully finish it. I have no idea how long this is going to go on. :)

Charlie was sitting inside a coffee shop, positioned directly in front of the large window. It was his favorite spot. It gave him a thorough view of the entire main street. After checking in with the local police to make sure no 'shenanigans' happened the night before, he would come here. It was a daily routine that did not go unnoticed by the other citizens of the town. This suited Charlie just fine. Let them know he was watching; they were far less likely to act up under his hawk eyed gaze. The rest of the town generally dismissed him as an extremely bored old man. However, there was no denying that as an ex-sheriff, Charlie held weight in their town. Cross him the wrong way, and you may as well move.

Now he sat chewing a muffin, eyes trained on the street in front of him. Passerby's gave him a nod or a wave before moving on with the days errands. He noticed nothing out of the ordinary, save a few teenagers in a rebellious stage cruising past several times, music blaring. He would have to speak to their parents. He was getting comfortable and thinking he might flip through a magazine, when someone caught his eyes. Or two someone's rather.

Walking down the street, smile on her face, was Lana. Her hair was wild and curly, and her clothes entirely to rebellious for a woman her age. Charlie had disliked her from the moment she had arrived here. She was an interfering journalist, always poking her nose where she shouldn't. She was also the only one in the town who did not give a damn for his authority. She was loud, rambunctious, and her legs were too long for shorts. He would love nothing more than to see her leave.

The other person concerned him more. It took several moments for Charlie to realize who it was. The man was tall and had an olive complexion. He had a muscular build that looked like it might be trying to burst out of the green t-shirt he was wearing. He too was smiling and apparently joking with Lana. Suddenly Charlie realized who he was, the hoodlum from the diner. He grudgingly admitted to himself that the haircut went a long way into making him look respectful. he pushed that thought aside. 'A haircut doesn't change a person's personality' he thought. He watched them as they wandered into a bookstore across the street. They looked an awful lot like a couple. He wondered where the man had stayed the night before. He was willing to bet it was with Lana. He wouldn't put it past her. He would have to take care of this situation immediately, before their malfeasants spread to the rest of the town. Crumbling his paper napkin, he stood and marched out of the door with conviction, judgmental eyes focused on the door of the bookstore.

In the bookstore, Lana and Jason were standing in line waiting to talk to the owner. Customers looked at them with varying degrees of curiosity; some looked wary and pulled young children closer to them. A few pretended not to notice them. The gaggle of teenagers near the magazine racks were staring unashamed at them. The girls scrutinized Jason intently, before bursting into a fit of giggles and whispers. The boys, glared at them, before turning their attentions to Lana.

The owner finally approached them, and Jason stepped forward to ask for a job. Shaking hands, they introduced themselves. The bookstore owner was a balding and portly man sporting thick bifocals long out of fashion. His expression was at first one of wariness, then shock, as Jason exhibited a wide knowledge of literature. Lana herself was impressed and surprised. Jason's explanation was that there wasn't much to do in the army besides reading, at least when you weren't fighting. The owner, Peter Jones, smile broadened as he listened to Jason's answer to his question of who was his favorite contemporary author.

"Well, we'll see if we can't find a spot for you somewhere, shall we?" He shook Jason's hand again enthusiastically.

The tinkle of the bell on the door sounded and Laura turned to see her least favorite person in perhaps the whole world. Charlie Bennet looked to be relaxed and calm, but Lana knew better. The man was trouble, always trying to dictate who could do what and who was decent and who wasn't. Lana's eyes narrowed automatically, a gesture which Charlie pretended not to notice.

"Miss Wayne." He addressed her shortly. "May I ask who your new friend is?"

Before Lana could open her mouth, Jason turned. He seemed the picture of collectedness, but he took in everything he could about the man in front of him. His stiff posture and the malice in his eyes let Jason know that this was a man who clearly commanded some sort of respect. Jason extended his hand.

"Jason Griggs." Charlie took his hand, and squeezed overly hard. Jason returned the favor.

"Charlie Bennet." The men engaged in some sort of alpha male body language battle, each unwavering in their confident stances and frightening eye contact. No one spoke for several moments. The costumers in the store became clearly uncomfortable; the teenagers silently slid behind a bookcase.

Charlie finally spoke. "What is your business here Griggs?"

Jason ignored his rudeness. Calmly he responded, "I don't believe that is any of your goddamn business."

A small, collective gasp could be heard and the entire bookstore held their breath. Peter was the most uncomfortable of all. He was edging backward slowly, as though he was about to burst into a run at any moment. Charlie smirked at Jason's comment. He turned his head toward Lana, who immediately assumed a defensive posture.

"Miss Wayne, I knew you were a character, but I didn't realize you had sunken to the level of sleeping with complete trash."

Lana stared at him in shock. Her hands were shaking and she would have liked nothing better than to smack that contemptuous little smirk off of Charlie's face. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then changed her mind. She leaned forward, grabbed Jason and planted a wet kiss right on his lips. The onlookers suddenly broke out into a titter, most notably the wolf whistles coming from behind the bookshelf. Jason was unresponsive for a fraction of a section before he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the kiss. After several seconds, Lana pulled away from Jason and glared fiercely at Charlie.

"I can do whatever I want with whomever I want, and there is not a damn thing you can do about it. Why don't you go home and do the same with your wife? Then maybe you would have something better to do then poke into everyone else's business, you old bastard."

Jason, who had recovered from the kiss by now, was about to add something, but decided Lana had put it very well. Besides, any comments he had for the geezer in front of him were completely inappropriate and there were children around.

Charlie just glared for a moment. "Alright," he said, "We'll see about that. Don't say I didn't warn you." He turned and walked back to the door. The teenagers behind the bookcase continued giggling. He paused in front of them. "Don't you have something better to do?" he barked. "Go home. I'll be having a word with your parents about your music."

The teenagers silenced at once and fled the store. The sound of cars doors opening and closing could be heard, along with a brief, loud musical note, before it was silenced and the engine roared out of the parking lot. Charlie turned once more to the bookstore owner. "Peter." He acknowledged, then left the store. Silence lingered after him for a moment, before the nervous owner turned to Jason and Lana.

"I think you all had better leave the store." Lana opened her mouth to protest, but Jason grabbed her arm and urged her out of the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Once they were out on the sidewalk, Lana pulled away from Jason. She was so angry, you could feel it radiating off of her.

"That bastard," she began mumbling over and over. "He had no right, what an ass—"

Jason steered them both toward Lana's car, took her keys and opened the door, urging her into the passenger's seat. He sat in the driver's seat, started the car, and backed out. Lana's angry tirade continued on until they were significantly down the road. Jason pulled into what looked like a park, and stopped the car. Snapped out of her rant, Lana took in their surroundings. It took her a full five seconds to launch into another tirade.

"Where the hell are we? Who told you that you could drive my car? I didn't want to leave yet! You're just going to drive away and let them get away with that?! Why on Earth didn't-"

She was silenced by Jason leaning in and planting a brief kiss on her lips. Lana stared at him incredulously; he just smiled and said, "Hey, it shut up a whole bookstore. I figured it would work here too."

Lana opened her mouth, but words escaped her. Jason got out of the car. Peering back in at her, he said, "C'mon, you need to blow off some steam. Let's walk around the park."

Nodding, slowly, Lana followed him out of the car.

Across town, Charlie barged into the Police Office.

"Jesus Charlie!" The young cop at the desk jumped a foot, and nearly spilled coffee on himself.

Without an acknowledgment, Charlie spoke. "I need you to run a background check on a new guy in town. His name's Griggs, Jason Griggs. Find everything you can on him."

"Jesus, do you have to do this with every new guy who wanders in here? He's probably just a harmless drifter. "

Charlie burned a hole in him with his eyes. "He isn't drifting; he's staying with Lana Wayne."

"Still, I mean what did he do?"

"Just do it!" Charlie's nearly shouted demand sent the younger man into the back room muttering. Charlie settled down in the now vacated chair. About ten minutes later, he heard the young man address him.

"Holy shit, you might want to take a look at this Charlie!"

Lana had walked around the park with Jason for a half hour blowing off steam. She had recounted all she knew about Charlie; he was an ex-sheriff, a busy body, in a strained marriage, and had it out for anyone who didn't fit his perfect bubble of what society was to him. His current target had been her, but he seemed to have expanded his hatred enough to include Jason as well.

"He's probably going to try and get us run out of town. He has a lot of pull in the sheriff's office still. I'm betting he's running a background check on you right now."

Jason took this all in silently. He looked at Lana strangely. "Maybe it's better that I get out of town on my own. I've caused enough trouble without all of that."

Lana stopped walking. Jason turned and looked at her.

"What is he going to find if he background checks you?"

Jason stared at her unresponsively. "That's not for you to know."

Lana returned his glance. "Fine," she said, "Give me back my car keys. We're going back to my house. You can grab your stuff then go wherever you'd like. But you're not staying with me anymore."

She reached for her keys, but his lightening fast reflects easily let him evade her again. Frustrated, she nearly growled, "Jason, give me back my fucking keys."

"No."

"No? Who do you think you are? You're not just going to stay in my house and drag me into whatever problems you have."

"You're already in them sweetheart."

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare call me that."

She lunged forward for her keys again. This time Jason caught her by both wrists, pulled her up and kissed her. He held her there for several seconds, before she wrenched herself free.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Oh my gosh," a look of terror spread across her face. "You're a psycho; I let a psycho stay in my house." She started backing up.

"I'm not a psycho." Jason looked hurt. "I just…" he sighed. "I'm not used to this, to being close to someone. I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"Into what?"

"Into my world, having to wander, my problems... you want to know what Bennet is going to find if he runs a background check on me?"

Despite her better judgment, Lana nodded.

Sighing again he turned to a park bench. "We better sit down, this is going to be a long story."

He handed her back her car keys and walked toward the bench.


	8. Chapter 8

Jason sat down. Slowly, Lana lowered herself down next to him. Thankfully, the park was relatively empty, with the exception of a few families far off on the playground. Jason was staring straight ahead, wrestling with his demons. Lana waited patiently. She didn't know what was driving her to sit next to him, despite the fact that she was probably in way over her head. She had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with all the kissing they had done in the last hour. She didn't want to admit it, but it was more than contempt for Charlie that had driven her to plant one on Jason in the bookstore. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself, and was pleasantly surprised when he had kissed her back. The kiss in the car she could brush off as a joke, but the kiss a few minutes ago…that was undeniably real. What was she doing, running around kissing a man she hardly knew in broad daylight, in public? She exhaled slowly, willing those thoughts to retreat to the back of her mind. She needed to focus on what was happening right now. She focused her eyes on Jason's slouched form. After a moment, he began to speak.

"You know I was in the military. I was actually part of a special forces task group. We were chosen for our reflexes, our courage, our ability to stay calm in the midst of panic, and of course our ability to kill." His tone was bitter. "We ran around the Middle East, doing the dirty things the government didn't want anyone to hear about. I joined the army during Desert Storm. I thought I'd be doing my nation a service, that I would be saving people. I ended up killing more people than I saved. I did my job well though. I became the leader of my group. We all were numb by that point. We were mindless robots, desensitized by brainwashing and violence, to the point where killing, well, it was as easy as breathing."

Jason's eyes were beginning to water now. Lana looked at him, the horror of his words sinking in, along with an understanding of why he was this way. She reached out and squeezed his hand gently, willing him to continue.

He took a deep watery breath. "Of course, when the government was done with us, we came back war heroes. Heroes." He spat the word out again, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "No matter how many badges and medals of honors they pinned on our uniforms, they could never cover the blood red. All of us were haunted by what we had done. We smiled for the public, shook the president's hand, but went home and were consumed by our nightmares. It drove the other four guys in my group insane. One returned to active combat, and pretty much allowed himself to be killed within the first five minutes of duty. One other went so crazy he ended up killing some guy in a bar fight over nothing. He got killed by the other inmates in prison. The other two, well one blew his brains out in front of his wife and kid, and the other drove off a bridge one night in New York. The Government covered it all up. They didn't want the public to know that their 'war heroes' were going crazy with guilt. They gave me a bunch of money and threats to try and keep me quiet." Tears were flowing freely down his face by this point. "Sometimes I wonder whether I shouldn't just run into traffic one night, or eat a bullet. It would be so much easier to just do it. Something is keeping me going though. I think it's some kind of desire to atone."

He bowed his head, sobbing now. Lana began crying too. She reached out and held Jason to her. They sat like this, him crying into his hands, for nearly a half an hour. Lana was stroking his hair absently, muttering nonsense words of comfort. Finally, Jason sat up. Wiping his face, he looked at her.

"I'm sorry I kissed you."

"Don't be. I'm not." Lana heard the words slip out before she could stop them. "Besides," she smiled at him, "I kissed you first."

Jason returned the smile. "You're not mad?"

"No. I don't really know why, but I am actually happy you kissed me."

They looked at each other for a moment, before Jason leaned in again. This time Lana met him halfway. Their kiss was long and slow. A group of joggers passed behind the bench, and decided it might be time to sprint. Lana didn't notice them. Her whole mind was immersed in the softness of his lips, and the fact that she felt too strongly for a man she barely knew and that she couldn't care less.

The necessity to breathe made them pull apart. Shaking his head, Jason asked, "What are we doing?"

Lana thought about that for a moment. She had no idea what they were doing, but it felt right. "Do you believe in fate?"

Jason nodded.

"Have you ever thought about going public with your story?"

"Once or twice but no one wanted to write it though. And it has been too long. No one cares about Desert Strom anymore."

"Not with the current war in the Middle East. And I'm a journalist. If you want to, I'll write your story. Maybe then, if you expose the government, you can atone."

Jason studied her for a moment. "You would really do that? It might cost you your career."

"Your sanity is more important to me." Again, she didn't know what drove her to say this, but she did.

"Alright," Jason agreed. They kissed again.

Lana pulled away. "All of this deep thinking is making me hungry. What do you say we go back into town and grab some lunch? Then maybe we can pay Mr. Bennet a little visit at the Sheriff's office."

Jason smiled. "You're something else, you know that?"

Lana just smiled. "I get to drive this time."


	9. Chapter 9

Charlie stared at the computer screen in shock. The hoodlum was a goddamn hero. Wasn't nearly a medal he didn't have. He re- read the information on the screen over and over, refusing to believe it. But no matter how many times he blinked and shook his head, there it all was in black and white. Jason Griggs: 33 years old, Served in Desert Strom, promoted to Sergeant, leader of elite task force, only child, parents died in car crash when he was 17, awarded Purple Heart….

The list went on and on. The young cop looked at Charlie out of the corner of his eye.

"Just how much shit did you give this guy, Charlie?"

Charlie couldn't answer. He had harassed a hero, praised by the government. What was a guy like that doing in this Podunk little town looking the way he did? He should be living the high life for God's sake. Charlie continued reading. Pictures of Griggs went with the file. Here he was shaking the president's hand. The rest of the cops in the building sat, stunned. The young one could barely contain his glee. Looked like Charlie Bennet had meddled too far; he was finally in over his head. The old man was visibly shaken. Sweat beads lined his forehead and neck and he was frantically scrolling on the computer now.

"Where did you find this information?" He asked the young cop.

"Didn't have to look hard. Typed his name into google, and all his medals came up. The guy's an American hero."

The cops all turned their eyes toward Charlie. Obviously, he was going to have to do something about this; otherwise, his reputation as a good judge of character was going to crack even more.

"so…are you going to apologize" one officer suggested.

Charlie straightened his posture, trying to disguise his nervousness. "Of course. Just got to run home first and check in with the wife. Then I'll swing by Miss Wayne's house and see if he is enjoying his stay here."

As Charlie walked stiffly out of the office, the occupants burst into peals of laughter. Bennet was a meddlesome man, and they all loved to see him put in his place.

Lana and Jason were walking back to the car when the rumble of thunder could be heard. With that warning, water began cascading from the sky in waves. Covering her head, Lana began to run to the car; Jason strode calmly behind her. Either way they were going to get soaking wet, why run on top of it? Lana reached her baby blue Corolla and flung herself inside. Jason arrived a few seconds later, and waited patiently for her to unlock his door. When she did, he climbed in silently and shut the door.

"Still up for lunch?"

Lana was sitting there, obviously debating telling him something. "I…" she stammered.

"Yes?"

"I hate driving in the rain, I can't do it. I'm from Arizona and it scares me."

Jason laughed. "Want me to drive?"

"No, I can get us home, but I mean, I would prefer not to go back into town. Storms get pretty crazy here." She offered her explanation lamely.

"Home it is then. We can have lunch there. I can cook more than just eggs you know." He looked at Lana suggestively. Uncomfortable under his smoldering stare, Lana nodded in agreement and started the car. They arrived at her home just in time to miss a huge hail storm that began. Ice the size of golf balls began raining down causing some un-ladylike language from Lana.

"Looks like you made a good decision to drive home," Jason said.

Lana didn't hear him as she slipped on the ice, a most impolite sentiment flying from her lips. She slid forward, knocking into the car and falling flat. She picked herself up quickly, and then fell again. She was laying spread eagle on her back, chunks of ice bouncing off of her face. She groaned. Jason was doubled over laughing and was leaning on the car for support. Lana glared up at him.

"Stop laughing. I'm wet and I'm cold, and my butt really hurts." She sat up slowly, rubbing her backside, a pouty look on her face. Jason continued laughing, but walked over and picked her up off the driveway.

"Alright, let's go get you dry and warm, and take care of your butt." He continued chuckling at her expense as he carried her to the door. Once inside, he carried her upstairs.

"Where is your room?"

"Why?"

"So I can carry you there. I don't think you are capable of walking there on your own." He began laughing again.

Lana reassumed her pouty facial expression, but was secretly enjoying being carried around. Refusing to look at Jason, she extended a finger and pointed at her door. He carried her in and dropped her on the bed before disappearing into her bathroom. Lana heard her bathtub faucet turn on. Jason returned. Lana sat up on the bed. He sat down next to her. Smiling, he turned to her.

"Better get you out of those clothes. You're soaking wet." His expression was innocent, but Lana didn't miss the double meaning in his words.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" She peeled her jacket off slowly.

His grin broadened. "Can't have you getting sick. Who would write my story then?"

Lana's nodded. "All right, good point." She stood up and peeled off her shirt. Jason's eyes widened. She was in a tiny, lacy top. She undid the top button of her jeans before addressing Jason.

"You should go change yourself. You look like you're coming down with something." Grinning seductively, she sashayed into her bathroom.

Jason sat on the bed watching her. Sweet Jesus, he needed a bath too, but a cold one. Damn if her body wasn't perfect. That tiny tank top had molded to every curve, leaving just enough to the imagination. He wanted to see what was under there. Leave it to her to flip his own game on him. Well, he thought, two can play that. He stood up and ran down the stairs.

Lana sighed as she sank into the sudsy, warm water. He had added bubbles; how thoughtful of him. She smiled to herself as she thought about how she had gotten him good. That'll show him to stop trying to make her uncomfortable. She relaxed further into the tub, thinking about Jason's smile and how cute he was. It probably wasn't the best thing in the world having an extremely attractive man living with her. What was she talking about? It was the best. It was out of character for her, but who cared? After about 15 minutes she lifted herself out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel. She wandered back into the room, and went to her dresser. She wasn't done being flirty. She pulled out some low rise sweats and a lacy black camisole and put them on. They hugged her every curve. Grinning, she headed downstairs and into the kitchen. The site she encountered nearly knocked her on her ass. Jason was standing at the stove, making grilled cheese sandwiches, in nothing but his jeans. Sensing her presence, he turned to her.

"Want a sandwich?"

Lana's breath caught in her throat. She was unable to tear her eyes away from his body. Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Jason sat the sandwich down on the table and turned off the stove. In five steps he closed the distance between himself and Lana. He pulled her body up into his arms. They kissed passionately, all thoughts of lunch wiped completely from their minds.


	10. Chapter 10

Lana leaned into Jason's hard body. Her hands tangled into his dark hair, pulling his face closer to hers. She parted her lips, allowing Jason access to her mouth. Her tongue ran gently along the roof of Jason's mouth, causing him to moan softly and pull her closer. Of their own accord, her legs wrapped around his waist, and Jason hefted her higher. His hand were roaming her thighs gently. He trailed them upward, coming to rest on her full backside. He smiled into their kiss, and gave her a gentle squeeze. Lana gave a little gasp and pulled back. Both of them were breathing in short choppy gasps. Their eyes met. Then reality hit Lana in the face. She pulled away quickly. What was she doing? She hadn't even known this man 24 hours! A kiss was one thing, but what they were doing now took it too far. She shook her head.

"No." she mumbled, "no."

Jason loosened his grip on her, but kept his hands on her hips. "No?" he repeated, setting her down.

Lana looked up at him. "I'm sorry, it's just too soon. I haven't- we haven't even known each other for an entire day. We can't do this. I'm not ready."

Jason looked at her. He nodded slowly. Lana was shaking with the effort it took her to say this. He stroked her face gently and pulled her into a hug. "All right," he whispered into her ear, "no sex." He rubbed her back comfortingly. Lana sighed in relief.

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"For, you know, leading you on."

Jason kissed her on the forehead. "You didn't lead me on, you just were the only one of us to use common sense. Besides, abstinence makes the heart grow fonder."

Lana grinned, "and grilled cheese is better than sex anyway."

He frowned. "I don't know…my grill cheese is good, but somehow I figure you would be better. But I can wait," he added quickly.

Lana smiled and hugged him.

"Do I still get kisses?" he asked sheepishly.

"You can have as many of those as you want."

"Good." He kissed her again, more gently this time.

Charlie hopped in his car and drove across town to Lana's house. He decided he needed to do this now, before he lost the nerve. He pulled up to her driveway, then, chickening out, he circled the block again. After a ten minute, self pep talk, he parked on the curb. The hail had stopped, but the ground was still slippery as he picked his way up the sidewalk toward her door. He hoped they were there. He couldn't see a car, but it might have been in the garage. As he moved toward the door, he could see through the blinds into her kitchen. The nosy old geezer kicked in, and he squinted to see better. Immediately, he wished he hadn't. The figures in the kitchen were locked in some sort of passionate embrace, entirely too intimate for a strangers eyes. Eyes bulging, Charlie spun around quickly to avoid being seen. He lost his balance and crashed to the ground with a resounding thud. He picked himself up quickly, and limped back to his car. He nearly tore out of the neighborhood. He was breathing hard. He felt embarrassed that he had witnessed that; he was sure they must have heard him fall. Even more so, he was embarrassed that the sight had stirred something in him, something he hadn't felt in a long time. It made him wish he was young again. His mind spiraled down the proverbial gutter as he drove home, disregarding safety laws. He thrust his car into the driveway. He nearly ran to his door and burst into the house.

"Charlie!" his wife exclaimed. She was holding her hand to her heart. "You startled me-"

She never got to finish her sentence because Charlie Bennet, hard ass extraordinaire, leaned in and kissed her with a passion that surprised them both.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: warning, the rating here goes up for some more intense and intimate situations. **

Liz looked at her husband curiously. He was lying on their bed peacefully, a small smile on his face. She still had no idea what had happened to him. He had come home a different person. Tears stung her eyes. All of her prayers had been answered, but she didn't know why, or if it would go back to bad tomorrow. No longer able to contain herself, she began sobbing. Charlie woke up to the sound of his wife's tears. Rolling over he looked at her with concern in his eyes.

"What's wrong hon?"

The use of a term of endearment she had not heard in so long caused her to sob harder. Charlie sat up, and reached for her. "Liz…baby, what's wrong?" Liz shook her head, crying into her hands even harder. After a moment, she calmed herself enough to stutter out a question.

"How long is this going to last?"

"What?" Charlie was confused.

"This!" she blurted out through tears. "You being like this. When are you going to revert back?"

A sensation of extreme guilt washed over him. He has changed. Somewhere along the road he lost the old Charlie, the Charlie who wanted to help people. He had become cynical and hardened. And he had forgotten to tell the only person he loved how much she still meant to him. He pulled his wife to his chest, cradling her head.

"I'm so sorry love. I am so sorry…."

Charlie and his wife talked long into the night. Their problems weren't completely resolved, but Charlie acknowledged his need to be more caring and vowed to put Liz first. Liz cried again, but this time, her tears were tinged with joy, not sorrow.

The next morning, Charlie headed over to Lana's home again. This time, he marched straight to the door, eyes averted from the windows. Lana answered after his first knock. Her facial expression was unreadable.

"Charlie," she greeted. "How can I help you?"

Steeling himself, Charlie opened his mouth.

"I wanted to apologize." Lana was taken aback.

"oh, um. Come in." She stepped aside, inviting him in. "Jason?" she called. "Charlie Bennet is here."

Jason came out of the bathroom with a pink toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. The effect was rather comical. He looked from Lana to Charlie and back again, sensing something was off. Holding up a finger, he disappeared back into the bathroom. A moment later he stepped out, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

"Hey." His tone suggested that yesterday's events had not transpired. Lana spoke again.

"He's here to apologize."

Jason looked at Charlie. "Ok. Should we sit down?"

An hour later, Charlie emerged from the house. He had apologized, not only to Jason, but to Lana as well. The two had looked shocked, but had accepted his apology gracefully. Lana had even given him a hug. They informed him that Jason would be staying indefinitely, probably with Lana. They explained that she was writing a piece on him, and it would be easier to write this way. The two of them seemed much closer than strangers should have been, but he told himself it was none of his business. He offered to tell the town this, to preserve Lana's good name. She had smiled at this offer, and said that if Charlie wanted to, she would not stop him. Charlie was now back in his car, on the way to the flower shop. Liz deserved just because flowers.

For the next few weeks, Lana worked on Jason's story. They interviewed during breakfast and after Lana returned home from the magazine she worked for. She had gotten her editor to agree to publish it, on the condition that she worked on the story on her own, unpaid time. She didn't mind; the story was going to help Jason, and could very well catapult her into the public eye as a serious journalist. Jason had returned to the bookstore, and had begun working there. The novels he brought home kept his demons at bay. Sometimes, after he had told Lana something particularly vicious, he would read out loud to her. Those moments were her favorites. They would sit together on the couch, sometimes with hot chocolate or tea, and he would read in a calming voice. Occasionally she would fall asleep this way, but she would always wake up tucked in her own bed. Jason and Lana grew closer and closer. Even when he got an apartment down the road, they saw each other daily. Jason would come over to work with her, then stay to cook dinner. Occasionally, he spent the night, especially when his demons overwhelmed him. They were known as a couple, a fact neither of them verbally confirmed, but was the truth nonetheless.

When two months had passed, Lana brought in her story for editing. It had taken weeks for her editor to confirm the story. Lana was a nervous wreck. She spent the night with Jason often, falling asleep to him rubbing her back and calming her down. It was hard for both of them to restrain their physical relationship, but they managed. Lana often had to stop some of their make-out sessions when they became too passionate. She loved Jason, but didn't know how to tell him.

The night that her editor gave her the news that the story was going to be published, she had rushed home, calling Jason before she was even out of her office building. They decided to celebrate by cooking at her house. A nice, private dinner seemed more desirable to them than a public setting. After eating they were sitting on the couch holding hands. Jason's head was in Lana's lap, his eyes closed. Lana stroked his head, every so often leaning down to kiss him. After the most recent kiss, Jason turned toward her.

"Do you realize it has been three months since you gave me an ultimatum?" Lana looked down at him. She was suddenly nervous.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that earlier...I guess you can leave now if you want to." she tried to chuckle, but her blood had run cold at the thought of this possibilty.

"Do you want me to leave?" Jason's eyes were serious. He sat up, and looked her dead in the eyes. Lana stammered.

"No! Of course not! Do you want to leave?" She was near tears.

"Lana, I am totally and completely in love with you,"was Jason's answer.

Lana sat stunned for a moment, before throwing herself into Jason's arms and kissing him wholeheartedly. She climbed into his lap, straddling him. He grabbed her legs as she leaned in, grinding against him. Briefly pulling away, he asked, "Does that mean you love me too?"

"Yes, I love you too." Lana whispered breathily in his ear. "Do you know what else it means?" She ran her hands across his chest and over his back before tangling one in his dark curls of hair.

"I think I am beginning to figure it out." He pulled her in tightly, wrapping her legs further around him.

"Good."

Their kiss deepened. Their tongues fought back and forth, earning moans from both of them. Jason pulled away, trailing kisses down her neck. Lana's head leaned backward, allowing him better access. Jason's broad hands tightened around her waist, massaging her gently before sliding under her shirt. Lana moaned as he lifted her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. He lifted her up and without breaking their kiss, carried her upstairs and into her bedroom.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N AHHHHHHH!! I finished a story! I am so proud of myself. Please please review, and I wouldn't mind if you would spread the word about my story. I thrive on reviews! Now that this story is complete, I may go back and finsih the other one. Thanks to those who read and reviewed. Yay for you guys!**

**PS: The beginning of this story is still a higher rating. Sorry.**

Jason kicked the door shut as they entered Lana's room. He lay her on the bed gently, then sat up and pulled his own shirt off. Lana looked up at the perfection that was his body. Despite the fact that there was little sun, he maintained his flawless color. His hair had grown a little since she had cut it, but it suited him perfectly. His tan hands undid his belt buckle and fly and he slid his jeans off. At that moment, Lana decided she needed to find whoever invented boxer briefs and personally thank them. Actually, the inventor might want to thank Jason. His body made them look better than ever. Seeing her stare, he gave a cocky smile that should have annoyed her, but instead sent heat shooting through her body and into a very private area. He fell on the bed next to her. His hands reached out and trailed over her stomach causing her to gasp. They moved downward toward her skirt. He tugged it lose and tossed it over his shoulder. Lana was laying out in front of him, dressed in all black lingerie. Seeing his expression, Lana explained.

"I was going to tell you I loved you tonight. You beat me to the punch."

Jason smiled and kissed her on the navel. He slid her panties down and off. She sat up removing her bra. She knew she should feel timid, but she wanted Jason more than anything. She felt completely at ease in front of him. He removed his remaining clothing before sliding back up the bed. He positioned herself over Lana, kissing her again, slowly and deeply. As they came together for the first time, Jason was overwhelmed. He had been with other women before, but never like this. Lana and him just fit togther. The wait had been completely worth it. As they moved together he memorized every contour of her body, every sensitive spot. As he looked as her face, eyes closed in pleasure, her amrs wrapped tightly around him, begging him not to let go, he knew he was home at last.

Lana woke up the next morning in a tangle of sheets. Jason's arm was draped over her waist. She snuggled backward into him. Sensing her movement, Jason shifted too, pulling her closer to his chest. He opened his eyes slowly. "Good morning love."

Lana rolled over and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning baby. I love you."

It felt so good to say that.

Jason's story was released in the next months issue. The story was huge. Lana and Jason appeared on CNN and all of the late night and prime time shows. The highlight for Lana was when they appeared on Oprah. Jason's story sent audiences into tears. Protestors raged and marched on Washington. Political debates were sparked. Negative backlash affected both Jason and Alana, and there were nearly as many angry critics as well-wishers. The controversy continued and built for months and months. By the time Lana was able to write a book about Jason, she published it under a different name: Lana Griggs.

Five years later, Lana and Jason were living in Washington, but now in a little cabin near Lana's old home. They had a daughter, a vivacious little creature named Tia. Tia had her mother's loud curls and long body, but her father's big brown eyes. He held his three year old daughters hand as she pulled him through the woods around their house.

"Hurry up mommy!" she called over her shoulder. "You move so slow!" Behind them Lana smiled, holding onto her full belly. Jason swung the little girl over her shoulders in a piggy back ride.

"Hold on honey, your mom has to carry your little brother and he is heavy."

"But you carry me and we still go fast!" Tia held gripped her father's hair like the reigns of a horse. "Ya ya!" she shouted.

Lana caught up to her ever-growing family. Jason leaned down to kiss her on the lips. Tia swung off of his back and kissed her mother's cheek and then her belly.

"Hey little future brother, let's go! You're slowing mommy down!" she skipped off into the woods ahead of her parents. Jason smiled and held his wife's hand, finally at peace.


End file.
